Antiretroviral Therapy May Trigger Oral Warts
LONDON-A new study from researchers at the University of California San Francisco has found that HIV patients who use highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) are six times more likely to develop oral warts than untreated patients.
The study, which examined 1,280 HIV-infected patients using HAART between July 1990 and 1999, found that the incidence of oral warts increased substantially. Researchers do not know which element of the protease inhibitor caused the papillomavirus to reactivate.
They also found that patients using HAART were more likely to have salivary-gland disease. However, the occurrence of oral candidosis, hairy leukoplakia, and Kaposi's sarcoma decreased substantially.
Dr. Deborah Greenspan said the study was too small to determine which inhibitor was responsible for the oral wart increase. The researchers will continue to follow the group of patients to see if the warts go away with time, to see what types of virus are associated with warts, and to understand why the immune system allows the virus to reactivate.
Information from www.hivandhepatitis.com
Beyond the Surface: Rethinking Environmental Hygiene Validation at Exchange25
June 30th 2025Environmental hygiene is about more than just shiny surfaces. At Exchange25, infection prevention experts urged the field to look deeper, rethink blame, and validate cleaning efforts across the entire care environment, not just EVS tasks.
A Controversial Reboot: New Vaccine Panel Faces Scrutiny, Support, and Sharp Divides
June 26th 2025As the newly appointed Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time under sweeping changes by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the national spotlight turned to the panel’s legitimacy, vaccine guidance, and whether science or ideology would steer public health policy in a polarized era.
Getting Down and Dirty With PPE: Presentations at HSPA by Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski
June 26th 2025In the heart of the hospital, decontamination technicians tackle one of health care’s dirtiest—and most vital—jobs. At HSPA 2025, 6 packed workshops led by experts Jill Holdsworth and Katie Belski spotlighted the crucial, often-overlooked art of PPE removal. The message was clear: proper doffing saves lives, starting with your own.
